I recently had an ultrasound and was found to have a 9mm kidney stone, as well as a cyst on my kidney. I've had no problems with the stone, but do get fairly regular urine infections. My GP is considering whether or not to refer me, so just wondered if anybody knew what the view of urologists is on this. Do they prefer to deal with a stone of this size before problems begin? I'm in my sixties and have read that this size of stone can't be passed normally. Or, would a urologist usually prefer to leave things as they are? I'm seeing my GP later in the week.
I recently had an ultrasound and was found to have a 9mm kidney stone, as well as a cyst on my kidney. I've had no problems with the stone, but do get fairly regular urine infections. My GP is considering whether or not to refer me, so just wondered if anybody knew what the view of urologists is on this. Do they prefer to deal with a stone of this size before problems begin? I'm in my sixties and have read that this size of stone can't be passed normally. Or, would a urologist usually prefer to leave things as they are? I'm seeing my GP later in the week.
The stone could well be why you are getting the infections. If left alone it will only grow. I suspect they will recommend a procedure where the stone is shattered with ultrasound so the fragments can be passed naturally. Good luck
I agree with Sally. I'd see the urologist before it gets any worse!. He will offer you some options, but will probably suggest ultrasound for the stone. The cyst may or may nnot be the source of the infections.
All the best
I agree with the above. When I had a kidney stone it was only 2-3mm (depending which way you looked at it), but it came loose from the kidney and got stuck just before entering the bladder... and was excruciatingly painful. Certainly you wouldn't pass a 9mm stone, so I can imagine the best course of action is to get it broken down to pieces so you can pass it, and I imagine that's what they'll offer you. (I was lucky, although I ended up in hospital, I used a natural treatment (olive oil and lemon juice) and within 24 hours I passed the stone.
All Love and Reiki Hugs
Thank you all for your replies. Rather than referring me after the ultrasound report, my GP decided to write to ask the urologist's advice. This was at the beginning of February and, of last week, he still hadn't had a reply. However, the GP keeps calling the stone 'small', when all the research I have done says that a 9mm stone is quite big.
Energylz - I was fascinated to read that your natural treatment of olive oil and lemon juice helped you to pass the stone you had. Could you tell me more about it?
After reading all your replies, I'm now determined to ask for a referral on Thursday.
Best wishes.
Hi Genevieve,
If you look up "kidney stone olive oil lemon juice" on the internet you'll probably get lots of hits... half from sites supporting natural treatments and half from the skeptics (or "scientific community" as they like to portray themselves" trying to debunk it.
A class example is this thread: [url]Straight Dope Message Board - View Single Post - Does Olive Oil & Lemon juice 'lube' your kidneys?[/url]
Now, I can admit, that scientifically, the oils isn't going to get into the kidneys, I don't have a problem with that, but the lemon juice can, as far as I'm aware, change the acidity of the urine.
When I took this treatment I'd been in serious pain for 2-3 weeks, having been to the out of hours doctor, A&E, and my own doctor several times, and then eventually going to my doctor again even when their receptionist told me there were no appointments and I just turned up, they took one look at me, and got me straight to see the doctor, who sent me straight to hospital with a "do not send this person home again till you've sorted him" note. I was in the hospital and they spent a couple of days doing tests (which only proved I had a kidney stone, but at least showed where it was... ooo yeah, just there where it was bloody hurting, surprise surprise), and the consultant said that I should just drink plenty of water and if it hadn't come out by the following monday they'd consider some treatment (as if I hadn't spent 3 weeks already drinking plenty of water to try and flush it through). My better half and a homeopath friend of ours brought me this natural treatment of olive oil and lemon juice (50/50 mix about 2 inches deep in a 500ml plastic drinks bottle), with instructions to drink it down with some warm water. As I was being monitored for fluids etc by the nurses, I asked them if there was any objections to me taking it, and they said "no problem, you can try whatever you like if you think it will help" and wrote the rough amount of liquid down on my chart as "tonic" 😀
Well... it was very very very very very acidic to drink (and very difficult to stomach, but anything was worth a go). It didn't help that the out of hours doctor I'd seen had given me extra strong Ibuprofen tablets for the pain without any patient information leaflet. I'd not had those before and didn't know that they can cause stomach ulcers, until it was too late. So the combination of the acidic lemon and the stomach ulcer the out of hours doctor had so kindly provided me with, was quite horrific, and made for a very restless nights sleep of acid in my stomach. However, I think the olive oil had actually helped me to get it down and had helped line the stomach a little. This was on the Friday evening. On the Saturday, around lunchtime, I passed the stone (that was the easy bit, didn't feel much at all except a sensation which meant I knew it was there).
So, coincidence that the stone came out shortly after taking the 'tonic', even after 3 weeks of trying to flush it out with water? Make your own mind up, but I know what I think.
All Love and Reiki Hugs
Thank you Giles for telling us this. Fascinating! but your stone was very much smaller. I really don't think a 9mm stone will be able to pass down the ureter will it?, or pass out through the urethra. Ultrasound should sort it though - with the olive oil and lemon juice!
Hell no, I wasn't suggesting it would work for a 9mm stone, as that's not likely to even get out of the kidney in the first place (and that could be a problem in itself if it dislodged and blocked the way out for urine). The ureter narrows as it approaches the bladder, and that's where mine got stuck, and that was only 2-3mm (it looked like lots of grains of sharp sand stuck together, with sharp edges - shame they wouldn't let me keep it - they wanted it for 'analysis')
But yes, if the stone was broken up, then I could imagine it helping to break down the smaller pieces. All depends how well it get's broken up and whether they're small enough to pass easily.
All Love and Reiki Hugs
Definitely you need an immediate treatment to get away from this problem. If you think kidney stone will automatically get away from our body, then you are thinking wrong. It requires immediate medical cure before it reaches to a critical stage. Consult your doctor or consult with online physician of Justsavelives.com who could assist you right and help you to find the best course of treatment for it.
Well you CAN pass a 9mm kidney stone. I just did. Do not attempt it. Dont wait for an impacted one to move. Four months of intense intermitant pain, then 3 solid days of intense pain. I should have had it blasted, but was too busy caring for ill family members. I should have made the time. After 2 1/2 days I asked my family to drive me to the er in the morning. In the meantime, I made an elixir of olive oil, and vinegar and water. (Looked up online, had no lemons and wasn't in shape to search the fridge) Made 2 quarts of it, and drank it all. The stone passsed a few hours later and pain and fever disappeared. My urologist said there would be a slight chance to pass it as it was torpedo shaped, but again it wasn't worth the pain.